10 Best Doctor Who Spinoff Villains

No spin off story was as intricate or as exhilarating as Torchwood’s third season, Children of Earth. One of the contributing factors in this was the main threat: The 456 (four-five-six). Named after the wavelength they originally used to contact Earth. Little is known about the species beyond the fact the ambassador had three heads, needed to breathe poisonous gas and was prone to spasms and spewing green slime.

This anonymous creature made contact through causing every child on the planet to stop and announce in unison “We are coming.” Two days later the alien materialised into a glass tank filled with poisonous gas, installed inside Thames House. There they made the chilling demand: “We will take your children”. As it turned out the 456 where drug traders.

Using children as narcotics because they produce chemicals that made them ‘feel good’. After abducting twelve orphan children from Scotland in 1965, the aliens returned with the intent of taking 10% of the Earth’s child population. This scheme was thwarted By Jack Harkness using a constructive wave, tormenting the creature and forcing the 456 to withdraw, sacrificing his grandson in the process. It is unclear if Jack succeeded in murdering the ambassador, since the creature was teleported away before any conformation could be made.

The 456 remain popular with fans through there chilling presence, cold voices, ability to speak through every child on the planet and for causing the most tragic death in the series when they use a virus to wipe out everyone in Thames House, including Ianto Jones.